Holdback attachment for vehicles.



PATENTED DEC; 6, 1904. J. T. MILLEN.

HOLDBAGK ATTACHMENT POR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 6. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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l fll (10w ATTORNEYS if N ITE STATES JAMES THOMAS MILLEN,

Patented December 6, 1904.

OF CLAXTON, GEORGIA.

HQLDBACK ATTACHMENT FOFi VEHICLES,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,862, dated Decembc 6, 1904..

Application filed October 6, 1904;. Serial No. 2537,4973. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES THOMAS MTLLEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Claxton, in the eounty of Tatnall and State of Georgia, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Hold back Attachments for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved attachment for vehicle-shafts which shall be cheap, strong, durable, and ada 'ited for convenient adjustment to accommodate horses of different size.

The details of construction and arrangement of parts constituting the attachment are as hereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating my attachment as arranged in use. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central vertical section of the portion of a vehicle-shaft to which my attachment is applied. Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating certain details of the attachment.

The main feature of my invention is the metal holdback-bar A, which is arranged between the shafts B of a vehicle and whose ends are secured to plates (J, that are in turn rigidly attached to the shafts. The bar A has a broad flat middle portion which is curved, the convexity of the curve being adjacent to the cross-bar I) of the shafts, so that it conforms to the shape of the horse. flhe end portions a of the bar are reduced in width and curved downwardly and outwardly, and the ends (1/ thereof are broadened and have parallel sides. (See Fig. 3.) The said ends a are attached to the metal plates C by means of screw-bolts E, which pass through slots 0 formed in the plates, as shown. The ends of the plates have raised portions or abutments c,and screw-bolts F pass through the same and also through the shaftsB, as shown in Fig. 2. The heads of these bolts F are countersunk in the top portion of the shafts. The portion of the plates C which intervenes the heads 0 is reduced in thickness and provided on the upper side with transverse ribs 0, the same being arranged equidistant and parallel. The distance between them is the width of the broadened ends a, of the holdback-bar A, so that the said ends (it somewhat closely between them, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The space between the shafts and the ribs of the plates 0 is suiiici'ent to ac com modate the ends a of the bar A and the heads of the bolts E, which secure them to the plate.

In order to accommodate the attachment to horses of different size or length, the bar A requires to be made adjustable toward and from the crossbar l), with which the vehicleshafts are ordinarily provided. It is apparent that by removing the nuts of the screw-bolts F the plates C may be detached or lowered and the back-bar A then shifted from one socket or space to another, as conditions require. It is obvious that this will be effected by loosening the nuts of the bolts E, so that the ends (1/ of the bar may be lifted over the ribs 0.

'The bar A is preferably constructed of spring-steel, and the plates C are of cast malleable icon or any other metal of suitable strength and rigidlty. The bar A enables the usual holdback-straps and breeching of harness to be dispensed with and also greatly economizes time in hitching up and unhitching, while its adjustability adapts it to be placed a suitable distance from the cross-bar D, corresponding to the size of the horse or other conditions.

hat I claim is- 1. The combination with vehicle-shafts, of a -h'oldback-bar extended transversely between them, and plates securedto the shafts longitudinally, the portion thereof adjacent to the shafts being reduced in thickness between the ends of the plates and provided with transverse ribs, thus forming sockets adapted to receive the ends of the holdback-bar, and screw-bolts passing through the plates and the bar and serving to secure the same in any re quired adjustment, substantially as described.

2. The coinbination,with vehicle-shafts, of a hold backbar arranged between them, and plates secured to the shafts and arranged longitudinally thereon and provided with a series of transverse sockets adapted to receive the ends of the holdback-bar, and means for securing the ends of the bar detachably in any 4. The combination,with vehicle-shafts, and

of the several sockets, substantially as deplates secured thereto and provided with .a

scribed. transverse socket, of a holdback-bar extended 3. The con1bination,with vehicle-shafts, and between the shafts and. having its ends con- I 5 5 plates secured to the under side thereof and structed to fit in the sockets, and means for having a series of equidistant and parallel ribs securing the bar in the latter, substantially as on their upper sides, of a holdback-bar eX- described. tended between the shafts and having its ends JAMES THOMAS MILLEN.

extended laterally and constructed to fit be- WVitnesses: IO tween the said ribs, and means for clamping J. H. BUSHING,

C. S. BRAZELL.

them in place, substantially as described. 

